NIP farms

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Posting here rather than motors as I feel it's more general discussion related.

Came across an article about NIP farms (https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...ter-manchester-borough-became-centre-24360342) where basically if a driver gets sent a NIP they respond saying they weren't the driver, and then provide the name and address of a "ghost driver" who the police then create a record for and pursue through the courts - and being convicted in absence.

I thought the idea was rather clever and certainly reveals some loopholes in the process. Had they not had so many drivers use the same name and addresses many times they might have gotten away with it.

 

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Dammit here I was thinking you were going to tell us about blokes who farm norks

Sorry Diddums I'll save that one for you next time.

 

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In my case the car was being driven nearly every day by multiple people in the same day. It's a personal vehicle.

The case was on the 13th day in the past. So I've no idea who was driving the vehicle on that particular time of day on a main road between my town and the next town.

I asked to see the footage at the police station, which they let me see. It didn't show the driver.

The cops should have dropped the case at that point. Apparently some do. Yet they decided to take it to court.

At court all 3 drivers (me included) showed clean licenses. So I'd no reason to lie i.e. to avoid points as I had 0 points.

The case was dismissed.

Though my case was made easier when the CPS solicitor started talking to me about another location and a different vehicle not connected to me. When he was asked to correct himself he didnt have any paperwork and withdrew the prosecution.

A waste of time and money.

They should probably have only taken it to court if they had a way of identifying the person driving in the video. Though if they had, I'd have seen it at the police station and confirmed the identity.

I don't know if the law as changed since then, but from my understanding only business vehicles have to maintain a log of who was driving a company vehicle at what particular time of day.

I suspect yours is likely a rare occurrence rather than the norm. The clean driving licenses may well have gone in your favour too, as obviously not someone who's been prosecuted in X years.